Maggie is a thirteen-year-old eighth grader, well liked by her peers. Although she is not an honor roll student, she is very involved in extracurricular activities. She excels in cheerleading, art, and life skills, and was recently chosen as "Star of the Month" by her life-skills teacher for her innovative fashion design. All of Maggie's teachers say that she is a pleasure to have in class because of her positive attitude and helpful nature. While she may not use the best approach to tasks, she is always willing to share her ideas with a struggling neighbor.
While she continually wears a smile on her face at school, her parents say that she appears frustrated and overwhelmed at home. Her mother says that watching her begin a task is like watching a pinball machine; she bounces around and has no apparent pathway or direction. She does things by deploying the first thing that comes to mind. When preparing for tests, she goes over material in a random, disorganized manner. When beginning assignments, she is often missing the needed materials for the task. Because she keeps things in such disarray (e.g., locker, notebooks, bedroom), searching for these materials is a time consumer. Any effort given to a search ends up creating an even bigger mess and wasting even more time, adding to her exasperation. This inattention to time often results in frequent tardiness to class and other activities. Her lack of organizational insights and everyday practices stand in the way of efficient school performance and escalate Maggie's frustration.
Maggie is a thirteen-year-old eighth grader, well liked by her peers. Although she is not an honor roll student, she is very involved in extracurricular activities. She excels in cheerleading, art, and life skills, and was recently chosen as "Star of the Month" by her life-skills teacher for her innovative fashion design. All of Maggie's teachers say that she is a pleasure to have in class because of her positive attitude and helpful nature. While she may not use the best approach to tasks, she is always willing to share her ideas with a struggling neighbor.
While she continually wears a smile on her face at school, her parents say that she appears frustrated and overwhelmed at home. Her mother says that watching her begin a task is like watching a pinball machine; she bounces around and has no apparent pathway or direction. She does things by deploying the first thing that comes to mind. When preparing for tests, she goes over material in a random, disorganized manner. When beginning assignments, she is often missing the needed materials for the task. Because she keeps things in such disarray (e.g., locker, notebooks, bedroom), searching for these materials is a time consumer. Any effort given to a search ends up creating an even bigger mess and wasting even more time, adding to her exasperation. This inattention to time often results in frequent tardiness to class and other activities. Her lack of organizational insights and everyday practices stand in the way of efficient school performance and escalate Maggie's frustration.
Adapted from All Kinds of Minds (n.d.). Resources, Case Studies, Getting Organized & Good, Maggie – 8th grade. Retrieved from June 21, 2008 http://allkindsofminds.org/CategoryAll.aspx?section#CaseStudy